


The visit

by SugdenLovesDingle



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aaron is only mentioned, Happy Husbands, M/M, What-If, get the life they deserve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:53:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22017427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: What if Diane wasn't The Worst? What if Ryan hadn't left us? What if...
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Kudos: 48





	The visit

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in an hour this afternoon after my thought sort of wandered while I was walking my dog

Robert shivered as he walked into the prison visiting area. He’d hated the place ever since the first time he’d set foot in it and he was pretty sure that would never change.

Diane was already at the table waiting for him. She smiled and got up to hug him when he reached her.

“Hello pet, it’s good to see you. How are you?”

“Me? How are you? You’re the one that’s in here.” He lowered his voice. “For something you didn’t even do.”

“Oh don’t be like that. I made my decision, I’m fine.” Diane said, patting his hand. “Victoria needs you, Aaron needs you, Seb needs his daddy. They all need you.”

“And what about you? Doesn’t Vic need you? And you’re still Seb’s grandmother. And Jack and Sarah? And Gabby? And what about Bernice?”

“Bernice is fine in Australia. I talked to her last night actually, she sends her love.”

Robert ran a hand through his hair.

“I should never have let you do this.”

“I would’ve done it anyway, pet. And I really am fine in here. My cell mate is a woman of around my age and the younger girls leave us to it mostly.” Diane said as if she was discussing people she met on holiday. “Now tell me how everyone is at home.”

Robert cleared his throat.

“Well… Aaron wanted to come along but Cain took off this morning and left us with three kids… And Liv doesn’t trust herself to be alone with them right now.”

“Oh no she hasn’t had another seizure, has she?”

“No, no thankfully not. But the last one really scared her.”

Diane nodded.

“Understandable. Poor thing.”

“Yeah.” Robert agreed and spent the better part of an hour updating her on the latest village gossip. He’d made sure to stop by the café before he left for his visit to get the latest updates from Brenda.

“Andrea and Graham? Really? Poor Jamie. He always seemed like such a lovely lad. And now Rhona is leaving for France?”

“Yeah… I think so.” Robert glanced at the clock to check how much time he had left and reached into his pocket. “I have some news too. Nobody knows yet… but Aaron and I agreed we wanted to tell you first.” He slid a card across the table. “Since none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for you.”

Diane picked up the card and turned it over to look at it.

“Oh pet is this yours?”

Robert nodded.

“Yeah. It’s our baby. Natalie is almost 12 weeks.”

“I’m so happy for you. For both of you.” Diane said looking from the scan picture to Robert and back. “This makes me even more sure I made the right decision. You and Aaron are going to be wonderful dads to this little one. Just like you are to Seb.”

“I hope so.” Robert said and stood up when the buzzer sounded to indicate the end of the visit.

“I know so.” Diane told him and pulled him into a hug. “Give Aaron my love.” she said and tried to give back the scan picture.

“No, keep it. It’s yours. We got one printed for you especially.”

“Thanks pet.” she pressed the picture to her heart. “That means a lot.”

“I’ll visit again soon.” Robert promised after one last hug. “And I’ll try to bring Aaron and Seb too.”

“That would be lovely.” Diane said and turned around to follow the other inmates back to their cells. Robert watched her walk away and show a few other women the scan picture and tell them all about her new grandchild.

He went back through security to gather his belongings and when he turned his phone back on, he saw a text from Aaron with a picture of Seb, Kyle, and Isaac sitting at the kitchen table colouring.

I bribed them with chocolate and promised them chips for tea. Pick some up on the way home?


End file.
